Technology in Kenya has taken an extraordinary turn as it is giving a new voice to the deaf. A new digital tool that uses AI to provide a real-time sign language interpretation has been developed by a Nairobi-based tech start-up named Signvrse to help the deaf communicate better with the hearing community.
The motive behind the app
It is challenging for those with hearing impairments to interact with others who are unfamiliar with the Visual manual language. There aren’t many sign language interpreters, particularly in Kenya, and alternatives like reading and taking notes can be difficult, unreliable, or time-consuming. For the community of people who are hearing challenged, this is one of the most significant obstacles. It can pose a serious risk in situations like medical emergencies.
According to Elly Savatia, the founder of Signvrse, when deaf girls visit the hospital, they often need to discuss their reproductive health. However, some doctors may lack cultural sensitivity, making communication difficult, especially since there are no sign language interpreters to convey the doctor’s words. This challenge also extends to other critical situations, including legal discussions and education classes.
How the app works
The app, named Terp 360, translates speech and written text into Kenyan sign language. The app creates a 3-D avatar that interprets text and speech and articulates in sign language. The avatar uses technologies like motion capture, which has been trained and created using AI tools.
For individuals who wish to learn sign language in order to communicate and work together with the hearing-impaired community, the app has shown to be helpful. The system’s developers are also trying to incorporate indigenous accents and variations. These include the widely used slang language in Kenya.
“The technology has helped a lot, because when a person wants to know sign language, it’s simple. Some want to join to learn, but they must pay, which is expensive sign language dictionary is expensive. It is better to use this technology more easily and worldwide. A person could learn sign language rather than pay for which is expensive,” said Charity Eshinali, a hearing-impaired sign language user from Kenya.
According to the National Association of the deaf, Kenya has 2.75 million hearing-impaired people, constituting 5.5% of the global population of the hearing-impaired. And most of these people find it difficult to communicate with people outside this bracket. The advent of the AI tool will break this barrier and help improve the lives of the hearing-impaired in Kenya.
